The present invention relates generally to the field of beverage containers, and in particular to a new and useful arrangement for resealing a beverage container such as a carbonated beverage can.
Aluminum cans have been used to contain carbonated beverages, pressurized soda, beer or other pressurized beverages as well as non-carbonated drinks for many years.
Initially, the cans were opened using a can opener which cut a triangular hole into the upper surface of the can near its outer rim or bead. Later, tab openers were developed which included a tab connected to a portion of the can cover, surrounded by a weakening. The tab was pulled to dislodge the portion, thus exposing an opening. Tabs were discarded and posed a litter problem. The technology developed further to produce attached tabs which were used as levers to rupture a peripheral weakening and push a section of the can top down into the can. The tab ripped away a portion of the can top and permanently attached itself to the can so that the can with its tab and top could be discarded or recycled as a unit.
Although such cans are normally thought of as single-use products, various devices have been developed to re-close the can to allow it to be re-used at some future time. These devices generally failed to reseal the can and preserve carbonization. Some merely re-close the can opening to avoid contamination.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,452 issued to the present inventor, is incorporated here by reference, and discloses an arrangement for resealing carbonated beverage containers having a top with an aperture that can be opened by a secondary cap to discharge the beverage, and a bead with an inner surface around the top. The arrangement has a main cap for engagement over the beverage container top, for covering the beverage container top, a seal member connected hermetically to the main cap and extending toward the beverage container top and a locking mechanism connected to the main cap for fixing the main cap to the beverage can with sufficient force to resist pressure from, and to maintain pressure in the beverage container. The seal member has an annular pressure sealing portion adapted to engage against, and hermetical seal with the inner surface of the beverage container bead.
Although the arrangement disclosed in the inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,452 effectively reseals the beverage container, when the secondary cap is tightly screwed onto the main cap, or unscrewed from the main cap, the entire arrangement tends to rotate on top of the beverage container.
The geometry for latching and unlatching the main cap to the beverage container top is also complex as is the mechanism for connecting the two part of the main cap to each other.
The present invention improves various aspects of the arrangement disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,452